Reckless Resolutions
by Nioiclin
Summary: In which Lily and James flout one offer and accept another.


My ownership is nonexistent.

 **Reckless Resolutions**

Evans came to me after she left her parents. Well, actually, Evans came to Padfoot's place after she left her parents, but mostly because she knew I would be there. It was just gone 7th year, just after our run in with Voldemort and his followers at Diagon Alley. After the offer, after our first real taste of battle and war and the /real/ world. I still remember the fire in her eyes when she told Voldemort where he could shove his proposition following his speech peppered with words like _exception_ and _mudblood_ and _unique_. The memory of her scream under the cruciatus still wakes me in a cold sweat and we both walked away with scars, but _we both walked away_ and that's not something many could claim. The pride I felt for being just 17 and walking away from a wizard that many were afraid to even speak the name of almost overwhelmed the fear and horror of it all.

But Evans showed up at Padfoot's flat shaken and white faced, wearing a jumper despite the heat,to hide the half healed scars that circled and crossed her arms, I knew. Dark magic, won't ever heal right, but Merlin, at least she was _alive_. Alive and shaking and downright livid at the moment. Lily angry was a sight to see, all flashing eyes and whipping hair, it really wasn't something that I could ever picture myself growing tired of.

"Alright, Evans?" The words were out in a lazy drawl and I was leaning against the doorway in a pose that I knew was quite fetching and she just stared straight through me, shook her head and stormed off. I found her in the kitchen across from Moony, drinking tea that was entirely too milky and staring broodingly through the blurry kitchen window.

She had been visiting her family up in Cokeworth and was supposed to be there for a couple more days until the meeting later that week. She went there intending to place protective spells around the house, but not intending to tell her family about the spells or the war. She wasn't ignorant, she knew that walking away from a blood supremacist's offer to ignore her blood status in favor of her talents would create some bad blood, more so than the sole 'sin' of being muggleborn and brilliant. It made her a target, and by proxy, it made her family a target. So she went to protect and to visit and maybe to pretend, just for a few days, that the whole world wasn't going to shit when it should have been the brightest time of her life.

Moony was always fond of Evans but, being her friend and mine during our school years, he was well used to her temper and was wisely holding his tongue at present. Evans hated to be pushed into things, would rather come around it in her own time and way and pretend it had been her idea all along. Yeah, that was a lesson I learned the hard way. Anyway, she hated to be pushed so we wouldn't push. We would wait and drink some tea and eventually she'd get around to letting on what had her in such a state.

"They saw my scars." She started, and even as her voice raised her eyes didn't leave the window. "Petty barged into the bathroom as I was stepping out of the shower and it was sheer _pandemonium_. She dragged me into the hallway and right into mum, then all the hysterics started. Mum was worried I was hurting myself, then she was worried somebody else was hurting me and Petty brought up Severus and tried to mention you but of course Dad walked in right as she was screaming accusations and...well, it got much worse before it got better, if we can call it that."

She ended up telling them about the war as vaguely as she could. Just enough that they'd be cautious, just enough to reassure them that I would never hurt her, but not enough that they knew how much danger she was actually in. It had escalated into emotional blackmail and outright threats and it never actually reached an understanding. Her sister was scornful and well... petty about the whole thing. Thinking it was some story of grandeur so her sister could feel more important, especially in the light of Petunia's recent wedding. Her mom was convinced that she could pick up and leave the country or stay in Cokeworth with them and pursue muggle schooling and have a _safe life_. Her dad, well, he understood duty and honor, but didn't like the thought of his daughter embracing it quite so wholeheartedly. Finally, Evan's wasn't able to take anymore and she just apparate to London and was done with it.

"They had a right fit over you lot to, the fact that I planned to kip over here, as if I hadn't spent 7 years sleeping in the same tower as you guys." It was different not, of course it was. We were dating now, Merlin, everybody knew we were dating now. I had met the Evan's twice- once after that disastrous dinner with Petunia and Vernon at Christmas hols and another just a couple of days ago when I went to see her there safely. They were sensible people- went to work and ate dinner and raised two daughters; but they weren't brave and they weren't reckless and despite not having a real choice because we were Gryffindors and the war was wrong and _somebody had to_ , fighting was undeniably reckless. We were nothing if not dauntless and stubborn with it; we knew people would die,hell, I knew I could die, but we wouldn't walk away.

Shortly after our run in at Diagon Alley Dumbledore came to us- by then we were all cluttered into Padfoots' flat and drinking Ogden's with as many wards as we could throw up between all five of us. He invited us to fight, called to arms, Evans' called it. We would train with and operate with and do all that we could with a group of other's like ourselves- handpicked by Dumbledore, all with the drive and ability to fight. As we sat crowded into the small lounge, I couldn't fathom having these unknown witches and wizards at my back, but I knew what it was to fight besides Evans' and Padfoot always had my back in any corridor and Quiditch pitch skirmishes we found ourselves in. Moony was top of our year in defense and a clever bastard besides. Even Wormtail had a wicked strong protego that had saved my arse more times than not.

I would trust my life to them, and looking around the room- even though Wormy looked a little green around the gills, everybody was nodding and hmming and I knew that despite the risk and _recklessness_ we would all fight and all do our damnedest to make sure everyone in the room walked out alive.


End file.
